Dates set for Virginia recount

The Virginia attorney general recount will start on Dec. 16 in populous Fairfax County and Dec. 17 in the rest of the state, a judge said Wednesday.

Democrat Mark Herring leads Republican Mark Obenshain by 165 votes out of more than 2.2 million cast in the Nov. 5 election, according to results certified last month by the Virginia State Board of Elections.

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The recount dates, first reported by NBC 12 in Richmond, were confirmed by spokespeople for the campaigns.

With no automatic recount in Virginia, Obenshain requested a new tally after the board certified the results. Because the margin is within 0.5 percent, the recount will be publicly funded.

Before the dates were set Wednesday, the Obenshain campaign said it was eyeing Dec. 18 or 19 as possible start dates for the process.

If Herring ultimately takes office, Democrats will hold all five statewide posts for the first time since 1969. Both campaigns have named transition teams.